Abstract: Planck is the M3 mission of ESA's Horizon 2000+ programme, expected to be launched in early 2007. In this paper, the data management aspects for the mission are discussed. They include processing and archiving of ground-test data, simulations of instrumental effects on observations, production of simulated data, sampling and quantization effects, data compression, handling of telemetry and telecommands, calibration of raw data, creation of frequency maps, separation of astrophysical components.

Abstract: We report on our time-resolved photometry of subdwarfs and white dwarfs at the Calar Alto Observatory. Candidates are taken from a spectroscopically pre-selected sample obtained from the Hamburg Schmidt Survey. We also report on our experience during the W E T run in April 1999 and introduce our revised CCD photometry reduction package TRIPP, as well as preliminary results.

Abstract: A brief summary of the improvements recently made to the New Zealand high-speed photometer used for WET work is provided. Ideas for improving WET timing synchronization using the GPS network are also presented.

Abstract: We have developed a specialized computational instrument for fitting models of pulsating white dwarfs to observations made with the Whole Earth Telescope. This metacomputer makes use of inexpensive PC hardware and free software, including a parallel genetic algorithm which performs a global search for the best-fit set of parameters.

Abstract: Theoretical calculations indicate that the massive pulsating white dwarf BPM 37093 has a crystallized interior (Winget et al. 1997, Kanaan 1996, Montgomery 1998). Crystallization was predicted theoretically about 40 years ago (Abrisokov 1961, Kirshnitz 1960; Salpeter 1961), but in spite of its importance in astrophysics, there is no direct observational evidence of the theory. Uncertainties in the nature and extent of crystallization, as well as its associated effects, are the largest sources of uncertainties in calculating the ages of the coolest white dwarf stars important chronometers for the Galactic disk. The Whole Earth Telescope and the Hubble Space Telescope simultaneously observed BPM 37093 in April 1999 in hopes of using asteroseismology to measure its crystallized massfraction. The first step is correct mode identification, principally the spherical harmonic index i. Kanaan et al. (1999) explain the at tempt to identify the modes from only the optical W E T data , using mainly the periods of the modes. Here we present our preliminary results of applying the Robinson et al. (1995) £ identification method which 98 A. Nitta, A. Kanaan, S. O. Kepler et al. uses a comparison of amplitudes of the modes in the UV and in the optical spectrum. K e y w o r d s : stars: interiors, white dwarfs, oscillations, individual: BPM 37093, ZZ Ceti

Abstract: An overview of the detector requirements for WET photometry is given, including discussion of why CCD usage has not been attractive for WET until comparatively recently. Initial CCD usage by W E T is described along with a comparison of results from CCD photometry programs applied to the same data. It was found that a CCD on a 0.75 m telescope provided data which were almost as good as a photomultiplier tube results on a 1.9 m telescope. Aperture photometry was generally found to be in agreement with theoretical expectation, as well as being more precise than point spread function fitting. This latter result is surprising and not understood, though it is possible that coding problems are responsible.

Abstract: A project for the remote access system to information and technical science resources is described. The system at work allows the preparation and accomplishment of observational programs on the telescopes from the control and acquisition data center or directly from the user terminals. In future, the created system can form the basis for the creation of a Russian Virtual Observatory.

Abstract: The publicly accessible CATS database contains thousands of objects in the Galactic plane regions. The Galactic radio, IR or X-ray sources observed from 30 MHz to hard X-rays or gammarays mostly are unidentified, and obviously most of them are extragalactic. A dozen of catalogs of the Galactic objects, such as radio and active stars, planetary nebulae, HII regions, supernova remnants (SNR) and pulsars are in the CATS. We allow users themselves to plot and to fit the radio spectra \"on-line\" by using the CGI or Java applets.

Abstract: The SAO archive of observations keeps the raw observational and calibration da ta collected with various acquisition systems. A server running Oracle and web-based technology are expected to be used for distribution of the archive data.

Abstract: K e y w o r d s : instrumentation: data handling telescopes

Abstract: We present a preliminary analysis of the data collected during the 1999/1 (XCOV17) Whole Earth Telescope (WET) campaign to observe the pulsating subdwarf B star PG 1336-018. Since PG 1336-018 is an HW Vir type eclipsing binary, our hope is to use the known orbital period, assume a tidally locked system, and search for rotationally split modes. To this end, we can already report some success.

Abstract: An automatic method of spectral classification from lowdispersion objective prism images is developed. The distribution of earlyand late-type stars inside stellar complexes and their surrounding regions can lead to important clues on the star formation mechanism. The method is applied to one SMC region.

Abstract: The control and archive systems for the TNG have been designed on account of the needs of a modern telescope; they are based on stable and widespread industry standards and their architecture is fully modular and intrinsically open in order to allow future enhancements and/or modifications of their components.

Abstract: The presented catalogue of \"Star-forming regions in the Galaxy. Observational data\" contains positions, sizes, fluxes and radial velocities of young objects in 3290 regions of star formation. The photometric and kinematic data on sources are accompanied by the information on diffuse and reflecting nebulae, dark and molecular clouds and different objects connected with young stars.

Abstract: The Evolution Strategy algorithm for maximum entropy image restoration with learned behavior is discussed. Evolutionary algorithms are widely used to search for solutions to \"ill-posed\" optimization problems. These are based on the simulation of the natural evolution process within a population of individuals. We are introducing a way to drive restoration, without significant impact on the final result in case of misguiding.

Abstract: We have developed a data acquisition and an online reduction system for fast (a few seconds integration time) photometry with the Wise Observatory CCD camera. The method is based on successively collecting frames, each one is a mere small fraction of the entire CCD array. If necessary, the observer is able to place the object star and the comparison star on one and the same row or column of the CCD chip by rotating the image plane, an option available with the Wise telescope. In so doing, the rectangular f rame that has to be read out may have a small area of only some 30 columns or rows, even when the two stars are far away from each other. The readout time of the small frame is thus reduced to merely one or two seconds. Thus photometry with an integration time of 5 seconds and up becomes possible. The system is a network of 3 computers. One controls the telescope, second controls the camera whilst the third computer is used, during the exposure of each frame, for da ta reduction of the previous one in the observing sequence. The online photometry is performed using standard procedures of the IRAF CCD photometry package. It yields an instrumental magnitude of the object star relative to one or more reference stars that are present in the frame. The light curve of the object star is displayed with a delay of a single frame relative to the one currently under acquisition. K e y words: instrumentation CCD photometry 404 Ε. Μ. Leibowitz, P. Ibbetson, Ε. Ο. Ofek

Abstract: The dwarf nova GW Librae is the first cataclysmic variable discovered to have a primary in the white dwarf instability strip, making it the only non-radially pulsating star known to be accreting. The primaries of CVs are notoriously difficult to study because they are embedded in hot, bright accretion discs. Applying the techniques of asteroseismology to GW Librae could give us an unprecedented look at a white dwarf that has undergone ~ 10 years of accretion. However, an accreting white dwarf could have a non-spherical internal structure, rendering the standard (spherically symmetric) solution to white dwarf pulsations invalid for its study. This paper presents amplitude spectra from four observing campaigns conducted on GW Librae during 1997 and 1998. The star's pulsation spectrum is highly unstable on timescales of months and exhibits clusters of signals very closely spaced in frequency, with separations on the order of 1 /iHz. 232 L. van Zyl, B. Warner, D. O'Donoghue et al.

Abstract: This paper presents recent results for 5 Scuti stars based on measurements obtained by WET/Del ta Scuti Network as well as theoretical modeling of the pulsation modes. In particular, the two stars in different stages of evolution, FG Vir and 4 CVn, are discussed. For 4 CVn, the XCOV13 campaign has revealed 34 frequencies, which sets a new record for 6 Scuti stars. Preliminary mode identifications are presented, indicating pulsation in low radial order and low degree (I = 0 to 2). The star shows strong amplitude variability with timescales of ten years or longer, although for neighbouring years the amplitudes usually are similar. The cyclic behavior of the amplitude variations excludes an evolutionary origin. The pulsation mode at 7.375 c /d exhibits the most rapid decrease found so far: the V amplitude dropped from the highest known value of 15 mmag in 1974 to 4 mmag in 1976 and 1 mmag in 1977. After that the mode has been increasing in amplitude. There exists a phase jump between 1976 and 1977, suggesting the growth of a new mode.

Abstract: Empirical location of the ZZ Ceti instability strip, as well as atmospheric parameters of individual objects, is extremely difficult to determine, and the literature values of Tefjoften differ by 2000 K. For optical spectra, very small systematic errors of observations or models have a large influence on the result. In the UV the situation is slightly better, but the spectra with some certainty can provide only a relation between Teff and log g. All literature values, that rely on spectroscopy only, are unreliable; accurate determinations require the use of additional constraints like parallaxes, V magnitudes or gravitational redshifts.

Abstract: We provide a brief outline of the concepts and facilities of the Vienna Atomic Line DataBase in its new version 2. A summary of contents and recommendations how to use the VALD-2 are given. We conclude by a few applications planned for future releases of VALD.